Lyr Req: Beautiful Brown Eyes

Subject: "Beautiful Brown Eyes"
From:
Date: 27 Sep 98 - 02:39 PM

I am looking for the song "Beautiful Brown Eyes". My boss sings this song for his granddaughter, Megan, who has lukemia, and she wants to learn the words. He asked me to find the words on the internet, but so far I have not been successful - Please help

Subject: Lyr Add: BEAUTIFUL BROWN EYES
From: Sheye
Date: 27 Sep 98 - 03:22 PM

Don't know if I've got the right song...the first version was found on a search, the second is the way I learned it.

Beautiful Brown Eyes

Beautiful beautiful brown eyes
Beautiful beautiful brown eyes
Beautiful beautiful brown eyes
I'll never love blue eyes again

1. Willie I love you my darling
Love you with all my heart
Tomorrow we might have been married
But rambling has kept us apart

* Refrain

2. Down through the barroom he staggered
And fell down at the door
The last words that I heard him utter
I'll never see brown eyes no more

* Refrain

3. Seven long years I've been married
Wish I was single again
A woman mever knows her troubles
Until she has married a man

* Refrain

---

Alternate:

Willie, oh Willie I love you
Love you with all my heart
Tomorrow we might have been married
But roamin' has kept us apart

*same refrain

Down to the barroom he staggered
Staggered and fell at the door
The last words that he ever uttered
I'll never get drunk anymore

Sheye

Subject: RE:
From: Gene
Date: 27 Sep 98 - 03:29 PM

And of course a search of the DATABASE
would have found a version of
Beautiful, Beautiful Brown Eyes...

* CLICK HERE *

Subject: RE:
From: Sheye
Date: 27 Sep 98 - 07:35 PM

Soory Gene, I keep missing the obvious....

Subject: Origins: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 08:34 PM

I think the Traditional Ballad Index is a little hard on this song. The only sources they cite are the Folksinger's Wordbook. Our version comes from Ozark Folksongs, but can we find an earlier source?
Sheye's version has an unusual order of verses - I prefer what's in the Digital Tradition (1,3,2 of Sheye's verses). I was quite taken by Sheye at one time - from the looks of the picture she sent, she had pretty brown eyes.
-Joe Offer-

---

Beautiful Brown Eyes

DESCRIPTION: Man (?) praises "beautiful brown eyes"; he'll never see blue eyes again. Woman says she loves Willie; they were to be married tomorrow, but liquor kept them apart. Man falls on the floor, vows not to drink any more. Woman, married, wishes she were single
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE:
KEYWORDS: love marriage drink
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Silber-FSWB, p. 230, "Beautiful Brown Eyes" (1 text)
DT, BRWNEYES*
Notes: This song is a mish-mosh; it sounds like four verses (from separate songs) were scotch-taped together. The voice seems to switch from male to female; the marital status switches from betrothed to seven-years-married. A mess. - PJS
Wonder if that has anything to do with its success in bluegrass? :-) - RBW
File: FSWB230

---

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2003 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: RE: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: masato sakurai
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 08:56 PM

According to Meade et al.'s Country Music Sources,

       [Ref: (2) Gordon Ms., #2409 (contributed ca. 1928)]

The earliest sound recording is:

      Beautiful Brown Eyes (BS 01198-1) - Arthur Smith Trio (vcl by Arthur Smith w/vln & 2 gtrs) - 08/03/1937. Charlotte, N.C.
            Bb B7221 - 12/1937 MW M7343

~Masato

Subject: RE: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 09:20 PM

Lyrics and MP3 at The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection, Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas

Sung by: Roberta and Bob Blair, Recorded in Pleasant Grove, AR, 7/5/52

Bob was 18 and his sister, Roberta was 17 when this was recorded.

Subject: RE: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 09:30 PM

Who sang this in PalTalk? Inukshuk? DaveO?

Mary (who has brown eyes and favorite cousin has blue eyes)

Subject: RE: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Mark Clark
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 10:59 PM

Dale, Do you have any idea how the Blairs learned this song? The first recording I remember was Rosemary Clooney's; she had a big hit with it. According to her discography she recorded it January 27,1951.

Rosemary's version (and the Blair's) is in 3/4 time so that's how I remembered the tune. Later I started hearing groups, especially bluegrass groups, perform it in 4/4 time. Does anyone know which is the original time signature?

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 10 Apr 03 - 11:37 PM

Well, there are older versions as noted in other posts. I don't know where they learned it, but I do have sources ~~ I will ask tomorrow. My guess is that they learned their version from their father, Earl Blair, but I don't know where he might have gotten it. I'll get back to you on this.

The Folk Music Index lists these ~~ the numbering got off in my copy and paste, and I didn't bother to fix it:

Beautiful, Beautiful Brown Eyes

    #
   1. Armstrong Twins. Just Country Boys, Arhoolie 5022, LP (1981), cut# 14
Blue Sky Boys. Bluegrass Mountain Music, Camden ADL-2-0726, LP (1974), cut# 4
   2. Blue Sky Boys. Blue Sky Boys, County 752, LP (1976), cut# 1
   3. Brothers Four. BMOC (Best Music on/off Campus), Columbia CL 1578, LP (196?), cut#B.04
   4. Bruce, Dix. Mandolin Magazine, Mandolin Magazine MM, Ser (1999-), 2/3, p23 (Beautiful Brown Eys)
   5. Bruce, Dix. Mandolin Magazine, Mandolin Magazine MM, Ser (1999-), 2/4, p48 (Beautiful Brown Eys)
   6. Carter, Helen, June and Anita. Original Carter Family in Texas - Vol 2, Old Homestead OHCS 112, LP (1978), cut#A.09 (Beautiful Brown Eys)
   7. Folk Singers. Run Come Hear, Elektra EKL-157, LP (196?), cut#B.04 (Brown Eyes)
   8. Montgomery, Chris. Folk Favorites, Clodhopper, Cas (1989), cut# 9
   9. Price, Bill & Betty. Bill and Betty Price, Rural Rhythm RRBP-239, LP (197?), cut#B.02 (Beautiful Brown Eys)
10. Rodgers, Dick; and his TV Recording Orchestra. 25 Polka Greats. Vol 1, K-Tel NC420, LP (1971), cut# 19
11. Tate, Tater (Clarence). Beautiful Waltz Melodies, Rural Rhythm RR 203, LP (197?), cut# 14
12. Triggs, Stanley G.. Bunkhouse and Forecastle Songs of the Northwest, Folkways FG 3569, Cas (1961), cut# 12 (Brown Eyes)

Subject: RE: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: mg
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 01:37 AM

the only other verse I know besides the first one or chorus is

Life's full of sorrow and sadness
Life's full of hardship and woe
But I've got the love of my brown eyes
To guide me wherever I go

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Neighmond
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 09:43 AM

for seven long years I been married....
wished I'd've stayed an old maid
I Married a bum and a drunkard,
and he won't work at his trade.

CHorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 10:17 PM

I checked today, Mark. A friend knows Roberta and is going to check with her. I will report back when I find out.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Mark Clark
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 11:12 PM

Thanks, Dale. I sure like their 1952 recording.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 11:32 PM

Note that "Beautiful, Beautiful Brown Eyes" was removed from the reprint of the 4-volume Ozark Folksongs by Randolph because it is a copyrighted song.
The abridged Norm Cohen one-volume edition of Ozark Folksongs by Randolph has the following notes: "A song entitled "Beautiful Brown Eyes" was recorded in Little Rock, Ark., in 1936 (LC Checklist, p. 20.)
"For another collected version, see Gordon MS 2409 (E. J. Black). This song enjoyed a revival of popularity when it was recorded by Jimmy Wakely in 1951 (Capitol 1393) with words credited to Arthur Smith and Alton Delmore.
"Earlier hillbilly recordings include Blue Sky Boys (Bluebird-B7755), Arthur Smith Trio (Bluebird B-7221), White Brothers (Vocalion 04674), Roy Acuff (Vocalion 05163).
"Ozark recordings Gilbert Fike (AFS 3186A1), Kathleen Oxford (AFS 5355 B2 [reproduced on pp. 270-271 of Cohen and placed in the DT], Gene and Idis Neal (UArk R110), Rose Sloan (MFH 520)."

Apparently the song is copyright by Arthur Smith and Alton Delmore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From:
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 06:38 AM

For seven long years I have been married, wishing I was single again a man never knows of his problems until he has married again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 06:39 PM

Still no further information, Mark, but I will try to think to ask tomorrow to see if she has heard.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Midchuck
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 07:32 PM

Down by the sewer she lived
Down by the sewer she died
And at the coroner's inquest
They called it "Sewer-cide."

My roommate in college sang that to the same tune, usually when drunk.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Inükshük
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 07:44 PM

I get around the gender problem by singing:

Seven long years I've been married
I wish I was single again
A woman don't cause any trouble
Until she has married a man.

Reactions are, understandably, mixed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: GUEST,REX R. BAHR
Date: 30 Jun 03 - 07:02 AM

beautiful beautiful brown eyes was the best from the 1940 s.
I did a search in the trade mark-- copywrite section of uspto.gov but didn't find a thing... To late & to many entrees.
I tried beautiful brown eyes & that gave me about 250,000, so I did a refine to eyes, that gave me 4,500, then I did a refins for brown, that gave me about 250,000 again. So it may be there but it would be a long search.. Rex
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: masato sakurai
Date: 30 Jun 03 - 07:39 AM

Beautiful, Beautiful Brown Eyes (As sung by Mrs. Louise Williams, Fayetteville, Arkansas on July 5, 1960) [at the Max Hunter Folk Song Collection]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 19 Aug 04 - 04:37 PM

The original song was written by Alton Delmore (the Delmore Bro.) and possibly a collaborator. Alton's daughter is friends of my folks in Tennessee and has the original written version and awards the song has won. It was written for her older sister when she was a child.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Corn Field
Date: 24 Sep 15 - 09:17 AM

This web page Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes has got some interesting variations on the lyrics.
Any idea where the "Alternate Traditional Version" originated?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Corn Field
Date: 24 Sep 15 - 09:18 AM

This web page Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes features several verses. Any idea who wrote the "Alternate Traditional Version".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Beautiful Brown Eyes
From: Corn Field
Date: 24 Sep 15 - 09:20 AM

http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/b/beautifulbrowneyes.shtml

Corrected Link